Disconnecting-switch.



A. J. PAHL. DISGONNEGTING SWITCH. APPLIOATION FIIJBMAUG. 13, 1912.

Patented Oct. 21, 1913.

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AUGUST J. PAHL, 01? FRANQISOQ, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO K-E-E-ELECTRIU 00., A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

DISCONNECTING-SWITCI-I.

To all whom/15 may concern.

Be it known that I, AUGUST J. PAHL, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Fran cisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Disconnecting-Switches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention. relates to disconn cting switches, and more particularly to switches of this character adapted to be inserted into high tension feed lines such as are commonly used .in connection with stepdown transformers for supplying current to the power lines of electric rail-ways and the like.

Primarily, the object of the invention is to provide means for eliminating danger and protecting railway, public highway, telephone and other line crossings from damage due to failure or rupture of a line wire crossing thereover, and vice versa, to protect the circuit containing the broken wire from injurious ordangerous currents.

The preferred switch construction employed comprises means for automatically disconnecting the broken portion or portions of the line, while substantially at the same instant grounding the same; thus providing a double insurance against an otherwise possibly disastrous short circuit.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, I have ex einplified a preferred construction, but I am aware that various changes and modifications may be made therein without de parting from the spirit of my invention and hence desire to be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a disconnecting switch of the type in question. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a view simi* lar to Fig. 1, except that the switch parts are shown in the position into which they are drawn when the line Wire on one side thereof is broken. Fig. 4 is a detail section showing the connection between the insulator and its switch-arm, and Fig. 5 is a plan view of two of said switches opera- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 13, 1912.

Patented Oct. 21,1913.

Serial No. 714,780.

tively connected as they are preferably intended to be at, for example, a railway crossing. I

The preferred switch construction illustrated comprises two suspension type insulators 1, provided with caps 2 so arranged that switch arms 3 may be pivotally mounted thereupon; the caps in the present instance bein provided with ears t through the respective pairs of which extend the switch arm pivot pins 5. These insulators are mounted upon the ends of a rod 6, and together with said rod constitute an insulating spacer for the switch arms. The rod 6 is suspended from a pref-- erably fixed support or cross-arm 7 by a link 8; the latter being pivotally connected to rod 6 as at 9, and having its upper end linked to the eye 10 of a bolt 11 in the cross arm.

A bracket 12 preferably Ushaped, as shown in Fig. 2 and bent so that the horizontal portion 12 thereof is in each case laterally disposed with respect to the cross arm as shown in Fig. 1, is secured upon either side of said cross arm, as by bolts 13; and these brackets are preferably electrically grounded for reasons hereinafter set forth.

The line wires respectively designated 1l1e are each suitably connected to the extensions 15 of the switch arms or contact levers so that when said wires are under equal tension, the said levers will be drawn into the position in which they are shown in Fig. 1. Any suitable means are provided for limiting the inward motion of these levers or arms, such for example as the pins 16, which extend through the ears i in such manner as to engage the inner side of the switch-arms at points somewhat below the pivotal axes thereof.

When the levers or switch arms are in their respective innermost positions, contacts 17 carried thereby are in engagement with each other so that the line current is uninterrupted. It is usually desirable to provide two of these switches at a crossing, as shown in Fig. 5; a switch being disposed upon either side of the crossing to be protected so that in the event of breakage 0f the wire 14' therebetween, the said wire will be substantially simultaneously disconnected at both extremities thereof, while each of the broken parts will also be grounded.

The operation of the switch is as follows: The normal disposition of the switch is as shown in Fig. 1, wherein line wires 14 and 1% are under equal tension; hence the link 8 extends outwardly from its supporting bolt substantially vertically. The tension of the line wires holds the switch elements in circuitclosing relationship and current may hence pass from wire l l, successively through the switch arm connected thereto, contact parts 17 and the opposite switch arm' to wire 14. It now, however, wire let should break for any reason, the tension in wire i l will bodily displace the spacer and its switch arms to the left; in which case the switcharm or lever connected to the broken wire encounters the adjacent conductive bracket 12 which immediately grounds the broken wire and also separates the contacts '17 by angularly displacing the right hand lever or arm about its axis. The separation of the contacts 17 is due to the fact that the tension in the failing wire is practically all,

which leaves the switch-arm connected thereto free to swing on pivot 5, which it obviously will tend to do under the influence of gravity, but which latter force is not depended upon, the bracket 12 insuring a positive action. As a matter of fact the tension in the line will move the switch into its open position with a jerk before the primary wire can fall any appreciable distance. Therefore, if a reasonable clearance is allowed between the circuit including the switch and the line to be protected, the broken wire will be grounded and discon nected, in'case of failure, before the broken portion thereof comes into contact with the lower circuit.

It is particularly advantageous although usually not absolutely necessary, to provide one of these switches upon either side of the crossing, whereby, upon the failure of the wire 14C t-herebetween, both extremities of said wire are substantially simultaneously deenergized and also grounded. I especially desire to call attention to the fact that in the preferred construction, the operation of the switch is efiiected positively by the tension in the line wire remaining unbroken, rather than by depending upon such an unreliable device as a spring as a source of power for actuating the switch. It is also highly desirable that not only should the broken wire be disconnected from the remainder of the line, but that such wire should also be grounded substantially upon the occurrence of a rupture therein.

The fact that the switch contacts are normally held in engagement wit-h each other by the line tension. is of importance, since thereby it is unnecessary to depend upon other devices, such as springs or current controlled apparatus for maintaining the switch jaws closed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. An automatic high tension disconnecting switch comprising a normally fixed support, a spacer carried by said support and movable with respect thereto, two switch elements connected to, and movable with respect to said spacer and means for electrically and mechanically connecting a line wire under tension to each of said elements, said elements being adapted to convey current from one of said line wires to the other when in circuit closing relationship and be ing normally held in said relationship by the tension in said wires.

An automatic high tension disconnecting switch comprising a normally fixedfsupport, an insulating spacer carried by said support and movable with respect thereto, two switch elements connected to, and movable with respect to said insulating spacer and means for electrically and me chanically connecting a line wire under tension to each of said elements, said elements being adapted to convey current from one of said line wires to the other when in circuit closing relationship and be ing normally held in said relationship by the 7 tension in said wires.

3. A high tension line wire disconnecting switch adapted to be mechanically and elec-' means for positively separating said parts by the tension in one of said wires when the,

tension in the other is slackened, and for grounding the contact connected to said slackened wire.

i. A high tension line wire disconnecting switch adapted to be mechanicallyand electrically connectedto two substantially alined line wires, said switch comprising a fixed support, two movable contact parts respectively electrically connected to said line wires, levers for holding said parts in circuit closing relationship by the tension in said line wires, said levers being provided with means for connecting said line wires mechanically thereto, and brackets connected to said support for positively separating said contact parts upon failure of one of said. wires. o

5. In means for disconnecting a broken line wire from the remainder of the line, a support, an insulating spacer movably connected to said support, said spacer normally disposed in substantial alinement withthe line wires and maintained under tension thereby, said spacer when under normal tension occupying a substantially determined position with respect to said support, normally closed switch elements carried by said spacer, means for connecting said elements to the line wires, and means carried by said support for moving one of said elements to its open circuit position when said spacer is displaced with respect to said sup port.

6. In means for disconnecting a broken line wire from the remainder of the line, a support, an insulating Spacer, a linked connection between said spacer and support, said spacer normally disposed in substantial alinement with the line wires and main tained under tension thereby, said spacer when under normal tension occupying a substantially determined position with respect to said support, normally closed switch elements carried by said spacer, means for connecting said elements to the line wires, and means carried by said support for moving one of said elements to its open circuit position when said spacer is displaced with respect to said support.

7. In means for disconnecting a broken line wire from the remainder of the line, a support, an insulating spacer movably connected to said support and normally held in determined position with respect" thereto by the tension in the line wires, two normally closed switch elements carried by said spacer, means for connecting said elements respectively to adjacent line wires, and means carried by said support for moving one of said elements to its open circuit position when said spacer is displaced with respect to said support by the tension in. the unbroken line wire upon failure of the other of said wires.

8. In a line wire disconnecting switch, a support, an insulating spacer linked thereto switch arms pivoted to said spacer an adapted to be connected to the line wires, said switch arms being provided with contact parts, said parts normally held in engagement, when said spacer is in substantially its median position, by the tension in said wires, and means carried by said support and adapted to engage the switch arm connected to the line wire which has failed, whereby to separate said contact parts when said spacer and switch arm are displaced with respect to said support by the tension. in an unbroken line wire.

9. In a line wire disconnecting Switch, a support, an insulating spacer linked thereto, switch arms pivoted to said spacer and adapted to be connected to the line wires, said switch arms being provided with contact parts, said parts normally held in on gagement, when said spacer is in substantially its median position, by the tension in said line wires, and electrically grounded conductive means carried by said support for positively separating said contacts, said means adapted to engage a switch arm whereby to separate said contact parts when said spacer and switch arm are displaced with respect to said support by the tension in an unbroken line wire, the switch arm engaged in manner aforesaid being that connected to a line wire which has failed.

10. In a line wire disconnecting switch, a support, an insulating spacer, a linked connection between said support and spacer, switch arms adapted to be respectively connected to adjacent and alined line wires, said arms pivoted to the respective ends of said spacer and having contact parts normally held in engagement by the tension in the line wires, a substantially fixed conductive part carried by said support and adapted for engagement with one of said switch arms when the line wire connected to said switch arm fails, whereby to separate said contact parts, said conductive part being electrically grounded.

In wltness whereof, I subscribe my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

AUGUST J. PAHL.

Witnesses:

A. S. KILENBONE, L. L. JAMEs, Jr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

